All-Time Cardinals QB Rankings

NFL Quarterback Rankings - HeyTC Daily Rankings
Rank Player Rating Team Season Fantasy Playoffs Overall Years
1 Kurt Warner 37.30 Cardinals Great Good Average Slaps 6
2 Jim Hart 34.49 Cardinals Average Subpar Subpar Chill 18
3 Carson Palmer 33.13 Cardinals Good Great Average Chill 5
4 Neil Lomax 29.56 Cardinals Subpar Good Subpar Delulu 8
5 Kyler Murray Injured 26.82 Cardinals Subpar Average Subpar Delulu 7
6 Jake Plummer 26.79 Cardinals Subpar Subpar Average Delulu 6
7 Charley Johnson 17.93 Cardinals Average Average Non-Factor NPC 9
8 Kevin Kolb 17.73 Cardinals Subpar Good Non-Factor NPC 2
9 Chris Chandler 16.54 Cardinals Subpar Average Non-Factor NPC 3
10 Dave Krieg 15.22 Cardinals Subpar Subpar Non-Factor NPC 1
11 Gary Hogeboom 15.14 Cardinals Subpar Subpar Non-Factor NPC 1
12 Jim Hardy 15.08 Cardinals Subpar Subpar Non-Factor NPC 3
13 John Skelton 15.03 Cardinals Subpar Subpar Non-Factor NPC 3
14 Josh McCown 15.02 Cardinals Subpar Subpar Non-Factor NPC 4
15 Matt Leinart 14.99 Cardinals Subpar Subpar Non-Factor NPC 4
16 Steve Beuerlein 14.87 Cardinals Subpar Subpar Non-Factor NPC 2
17 Timm Rosenbach 14.84 Cardinals Subpar Subpar Non-Factor NPC 3
18 Jacoby Brissett Starter 14.14 Cardinals Non-Factor Great Non-Factor NPC 1
19 Ryan Lindley 14.09 Cardinals Non-Factor Non-Factor Average NPC 2
20 Drew Stanton 13.52 Cardinals Great Average Non-Factor NPC 4
21 Jeff Blake 13.48 Cardinals Non-Factor Subpar Non-Factor NPC 1
22 Josh Rosen 13.45 Cardinals Non-Factor Subpar Non-Factor NPC 1
23 Colt McCoy 10.98 Cardinals Average Average Non-Factor NPC 2
24 Blaine Gabbert 9.96 Cardinals Subpar Average Non-Factor NPC 1
25 Jay Schroeder 9.64 Cardinals Average Subpar Non-Factor NPC 1
26 Joshua Dobbs 9.52 Cardinals Non-Factor Good Non-Factor NPC 1
27 Kent Graham 9.49 Cardinals Subpar Average Non-Factor NPC 2
28 Lamar McHan 9.48 Cardinals Subpar Average Non-Factor NPC 5
29 Ralph Guglielmi 9.34 Cardinals Average Subpar Non-Factor NPC 1
30 Boomer Esiason 9.10 Cardinals Subpar Subpar Non-Factor Cooked 1
31 Charley Trippi 9.00 Cardinals Subpar Subpar Non-Factor Cooked 9
32 Dave Brown 8.91 Cardinals Subpar Subpar Non-Factor Cooked 4
33 David Blough 8.90 Cardinals Non-Factor Average Non-Factor Cooked 1
34 Derek Anderson 8.87 Cardinals Subpar Subpar Non-Factor Cooked 1
35 Frank Tripucka 8.81 Cardinals Subpar Subpar Non-Factor Cooked 3
36 Gary Cuozzo 8.78 Cardinals Subpar Subpar Non-Factor Cooked 1
37 Jim Root 8.55 Cardinals Subpar Subpar Non-Factor Cooked 2
38 John Roach 8.50 Cardinals Subpar Subpar Non-Factor Cooked 3
39 King Hill 8.39 Cardinals Subpar Subpar Non-Factor Cooked 4
40 M.C. Reynolds 8.33 Cardinals Non-Factor Average Non-Factor Cooked 2
41 Pete Beathard 8.13 Cardinals Subpar Subpar Non-Factor Cooked 2
42 Sam Etcheverry 8.00 Cardinals Subpar Subpar Non-Factor Cooked 2
43 Steve Pisarkiewicz 7.91 Cardinals Subpar Subpar Non-Factor Cooked 2
44 Steve Romanik 7.89 Cardinals Subpar Subpar Non-Factor Cooked 2
45 Terry Nofsinger 7.85 Cardinals Subpar Subpar Non-Factor Cooked 2
46 Tom Tupa 7.81 Cardinals Subpar Subpar Non-Factor Cooked 4
47 Cliff Stoudt 7.61 Cardinals Non-Factor Subpar Non-Factor Cooked 3
48 Don Panciera 7.47 Cardinals Non-Factor Subpar Non-Factor Cooked 1
49 Gary Keithley 7.36 Cardinals Subpar Non-Factor Non-Factor Cooked 1
50 George Izo 7.33 Cardinals Subpar Non-Factor Non-Factor Cooked 1
51 Shawn Halloran 6.55 Cardinals Subpar Non-Factor Non-Factor Cooked 1
52 Brian Hoyer 6.28 Cardinals Non-Factor Non-Factor Non-Factor Cooked 1
53 Buddy Humphrey 6.22 Cardinals Non-Factor Non-Factor Non-Factor Cooked 3
54 Clayton Tune 6.14 Cardinals Non-Factor Non-Factor Non-Factor Cooked 1
55 Jim McMahon 5.74 Cardinals Non-Factor Non-Factor Non-Factor Cooked 1
56 John Navarre 5.70 Cardinals Non-Factor Non-Factor Non-Factor Cooked 2
57 Max Hall 5.45 Cardinals Non-Factor Non-Factor Non-Factor Cooked 1
58 Mike Loyd 5.42 Cardinals Non-Factor Non-Factor Non-Factor Cooked 1
59 Ogden Compton 5.38 Cardinals Non-Factor Non-Factor Non-Factor Cooked 1
60 Ray Nagel 5.32 Cardinals Non-Factor Non-Factor Non-Factor Cooked 1
61 Sam Bradford 5.23 Cardinals Non-Factor Non-Factor Non-Factor Cooked 1
62 Sammy Garza 5.23 Cardinals Non-Factor Non-Factor Non-Factor Cooked 1
63 Shaun King 5.17 Cardinals Non-Factor Non-Factor Non-Factor Cooked 1
64 Stan Gelbaugh 5.14 Cardinals Non-Factor Non-Factor Non-Factor Cooked 1
65 Stoney Case 5.11 Cardinals Non-Factor Non-Factor Non-Factor Cooked 2
66 Tim Van Galder 5.07 Cardinals Non-Factor Non-Factor Non-Factor Cooked 1
67 Trace McSorley 5.03 Cardinals Non-Factor Non-Factor Non-Factor Cooked 1

FAQ

Who is the greatest Arizona Cardinals quarterback of all time?

Kurt Warner holds the top spot with a rating of 37.30, driven by his “Great” regular-season performance, “Good” fantasy impact, and “Average” playoff showings across 6 seasons, earning them “Slaps” status as the franchise’s iconic figure.

How does Kurt Warner compare to the greatest quarterback of all time?

Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback in the history of the NFL. His highest rating is with the New England Patriots—a fitting 133.7—and overall is even higher because of his Super Bowl win with Tampa Bay. Kurt Warner’s 37.30 with the Cardinals, while leading the team to the Super Bowl in 2008, doesn’t match Brady’s sustained excellence across eras—his overall rating with both Tampa and New England totals 148.5.

For a full comparison, check out the All-Time QB Rankings here.

What is the difference between HeyTC’s QB Rating and ESPN’s QBR?

QBR is an outdated model that doesn’t take into account whether the quarterback won the game—its first flaw. Winning is everything; who cares if Quarterback X has the highest QBR but doesn’t win games? Its second flaw is that it doesn’t factor in playoff and Super Bowl success.

By contrast, the HeyTC QB Rating is a composite score evaluating a quarterback’s tenure with his team, factoring in regular-season performance, fantasy football value, playoff success, and overall franchise legacy.

Is Kyler Murray one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL?

While Kyler Murray is good, he’s not Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, who is still the best quarterback in the NFL. For the complete NFL daily quarterback rankings, check out our list that include some surprises.

What do the “Season,” “Fantasy,” and “Playoffs” columns mean?

These columns use qualitative tiers to assess regular-season excellence (e.g., Good for standout play), fantasy (e.g., “Elite” for top scorers), and postseason performance (e.g., “Great” for significant playoff runs)—forming the foundation of the overall ranking.

How do Arizona Cardinals quarterbacks compare to other teams?

To see how Arizona Cardinals’s all-time QB lineup stacks up league-wide—and get our bold prediction on when this team will win its next Super Bowl—check out the All-Time Team QB Rankings here.

What do the slang terms in the “Overall” column mean (like “Aura,” “Sigma,” or “NPC”)?

These terms, inspired by our “Dad Glossary,” add a playful, informal spin to describe quarterback impact:

  • Aura/Elite: Legendary, game-changing dominance.
  • Sigma/Great: Consistently elite performers.
  • Slaps/Good: Solid, reliable contributors.
  • Chill/Average: Dependable but unremarkable.
  • Delulu/Mediocre: Overhyped with underwhelming results.
  • NPC/Subpar: Forgettable and inconsistent.
  • Cooked/Non-Factor: Complete busts.

How often is this list updated?

The list is updated throughout the year, with major revisions during the NFL postseason and after the Super Bowl to reflect evolving careers of quarterbacks.